Note to the Teacher

The key idea in this scripture is “encouraging giving.” The icebreaker invites youth to consider giving. The discussion encourages students to consider how giving is exemplified in Paul’s ministry. The activity helps youth see how Paul encourages generosity in the Bible and encourages youth to look at ways they can give freely in their daily lives. Times are based on a fifty-five-minute lesson period but may be adjusted.

The Penny Jar (15 minutes)

In this game, set out jars (or bowls or cups) in the front of the room. Make a line with tape starting very close to the jar and then other lines moving a few feet back from the jar. The final line should be as far from the jar as possible. Give each student five pennies; explain that for every penny they get into a jar, they receive two more pennies. If they miss the jar, they get nothing. Have everyone line up at the first line and toss their pennies. Give the students who earned more pennies their pennies. Continue to move them line by line further back after each round. Once students run out of pennies, they are to cheer on the others. The person who throws the final penny in the jar gets to keep all pennies in the jars from the game.

Option 1:

Five-gallon buckets and ping pong balls are a good option if pennies/jars are unavailable.

Option 2:

Encourage generosity. For those who are about to run out of pennies, ask them to exchange their final penny for a piece of candy. The penny exchange goes into a jar.

Read Scripture (5 minutes)

Our scripture reading today involves encouraging generosity.

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Discussion (15 minutes)

What makes someone generous?
Do you think that you’re a generous person? Why or why not?
When you are not generous, what stops you?
Besides money, what are ways that you can be generous?
Do you find it easier to be more generous with your money, your time, or your attention? Why?
Share examples of generosity that you’ve witnessed with the group.
What are ways that helping can also be hurtful?

Activity and Discussion (20 minutes)

Take this lesson to the next level by getting the youths’ imaginations involved. Develop a youth ministry “generosity intention.” Spend the next twenty minutes discussing ways your youth group can show generosity.

Points for discussion:

This is a great way to implement actionable items for a summer mission trip or event.

Begin by inviting students to write down favorite trips, programs, or activities they have participated in at the church. Use a single color of Post-it notes for the trip names.
Once they have finished, ask students to share what they wrote and stick the Post-its in a line on the wall. Make sure you combine events that are the same so that it will be easy to put ideas about the events underneath.
Give the students a different-colored sticky note and ask them to write down ways that the students or church engaged in generosity at these events. After they finish, ask them to share their ideas and to place the notes under the appropriate event.
Give out a third color of sticky note and ask students to imagine new ways to encourage generosity in these programs or new programs. Place theses underneath the existing generosity notes.
Then, discuss which idea the youth might want to implement and a timeline.

In all these, try to help students think outside the box of generosity as “giving money.”

TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes